A Loud … Boom! A Soft Blow

Wow. We want to send a huge THANK YOU to everyone who contributed, prayed and shared our posts to raise funds for a visit to America.

Today, I am within $850 of my goal! Jaynee has reached her goal! And Justine has enough to book a ticket! Hallelujah!

I was able to book two tickets for the girls this morning, so they are officially headed to America.

WHY JUST 2 TICKETS FOR THE GIRLS?

With every triumph, there seems to be a trial lurking in the shadows.

The university I am attending provides me with a study visa. In the past, the girls have been able to get visas under me as my dependents. So, Wednesday when we went to renew our visas, we expected to continue on as usual. Wrong. Universities have different rules. We were informed that the girls will need to apply for their own study visas by enrolling in a Thai language study school.

This was disheartening news, especially after we have worked so hard to raise the money to visit America. We will need to raise another $2,300 for the girls’ study visas and Thai language school tuition.

So instead of trying to raise that money before their visas expire on June 22, I decided to fly them out of the country on June 21. I will join them in Arizona on July 13 after my final exams, and we will stay in the U.S. until August 20. That will give us time to raise the money they need for visas and Thai language school, and we can apply for their new visas in the U.S.

Although this news was surely a wollop we did not expect, we are in our fourth year in Thailand, and the Lord has never left us hanging yet. We know He will provide.

OTHER THAN THAT, HOW ARE THINGS GOING?

Wow, are we busy.

I enjoyed some time off over Christmas, and I eased into my new ministry with YWAM Global Communications as we moved from the north of Thailand to the south. But break time is officially over!

I have been gathering news from various sources to re-launch YWAM Voices, my ministry project with the Global Communications team. We hope the first issue will be out in the next few weeks. Please pray for my team as they are gathering this week in Harpenden, England to refresh and renew connections and wait on the Lord for new inspiration regarding our mission around the globe. I was unable to attend this meeting, but I have the opportunity to Skype in on some conferences and hope to do that.

I started graduate school classes at Webster University-Bangkok. With this degree I am hoping to do a couple different things: 1. Teach journalism students at the university level. 2. Design a Field Journalism for Missions school in YWAM. I am in the very beginning stages of structuring a school based on Jesus’ principles of truth, justice and liberty.

I am writing a book! Finally. God put on my heart several years ago an idea for a book that is meant to speak to those who struggle with the shame of past choices. It centers around some of my own life experiences, my battle with severe anxiety and depression and the hope I found in Jesus the day I humbled myself and recommitted my life to Him. I try to write an hour a day. So far, so good. I’ll keep you up to date with my progress.

I am getting back into the classroom to teach youth ages 11—13 at Christ Church Bangkok. It’s been awhile since I’ve had any hands-on work, so I am super excited to begin discipling our leaders of tomorrow once again.

The girls continue their homeschool and sports activities. They study throughout the week and attend homeschool coop on Thursdays. They play flag football and volleyball four days a week.

Justine and I have been teaming up to teach photography lessons each Thursday at coop.

Next week (June 3), Justine will turn 12! Wish her a happy birthday if you can. We will visit a place called KidZania (kind of like the Leonardo’s of Bangkok) for her birthday, and she has requested pizza – specifically her very own pepperoni pizza that she doesn’t have to share with anyone – for dinner.

I think that about catches us up! I am really loving my classes at university and being surrounded once again by media people. This time around I have a different outlook on media, knowing how truth truly does impact the world, and I can’t wait to begin sharing that with future journalists.

If you want to help with our visa issues, we ask first that you pray. Thailand’s visa situation changes all the time and seems to be getting more and more difficult – and more expensive. But no amount of money and no issue is too big for God!